< previous page page_285 next page >

Page 285
my aid and incidentally to challenge Gwenwynwyn, which is what he really seeks."
"Lord Llewelyn does not think I would mind my castellan defying me?" Alinor asked in a rising voice.
"Now, now, do not fly into a rage. The whole idea is that you would get your land back and be rid of a castellan of very doubtful loyalty, Llewelyn would have done me a favor by aiding me in ousting that castellan, and"
"And he and you and Gwenwynwyn will fight a war all over my property so that my people will be killed, their crops and flocks destroyed, and more of my rents will be in arrears just when the king plans to raise taxes and will probably lay a fine upon me for marrying you. I hope you thanked Llewelyn for his generous thought."
Ian looked somewhat taken aback by Alinor's mercenary analysis. "I said this was all my guessing. I do not know whether Llewelyn has anything at all to do with Sir Peter's odd behavior. In any case, the war would not be fought on Clyro Hill or, at least, no more of it than necessary to drive out Sir Peter which, if he is not loyal, would be needful anyway. Llewelyn has his eyes on Powys, not on your lands."
"Quite right," Alinor replied tartly, "and my eyes are on my property, not on Lord Llewelyn's ambitions. I would prefer he found his excuse for quarreling with Lord Gwenwynwyn elsewhere than on my land. It would be better, if Sir Peter is disloyal, to find a way that he should not return to Clyro Hill at all rather than to fight a war to oust him from it."
"Now wait, Alinor," Ian protested, "the man swore his oath and presented his token fairly enough. You cannot make any move against him, after accepting those and giving him the kiss of peace, without offending all your other men. And I say again, this may be all my imagining. We are building a mighty castle out of the wet sand of one odd expression and a seeming avoidance of our company. There may be perfectly

 
< previous page page_285 next page >